How much does research matter?

[Hinglish]

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Hey guys,
I'm just wondering how much research matters on your med school app. I'm a non-traditional student applying (my degree is in English education for those of you who don't know already heh) and I feel as if getting a research opportunity would be very difficlut for me to obtain. Anyways, what's everyone's thoughts on this? By the way, I'm not intersted in MD/PhD.

 

[harrothere]

I think the consensus is that research is part of a well balanced application. You may want to avoid applying to schools that have a high-percentage of matriculates that have undergraduate research experience (the MSAR lists this statistic).

That said, I am a believer that non-trad/career change applicants are held to a different set of standards as far as extracurricular activities are concerned. As long as you have other interesting experiences that set you apart from the pack, you should not be hindered by the lack of research.

 

[StarOrSatellite]

I applied and I did not have research as one of my ECs. Certainly, some schools probably won't love this, but I do know that research is not 100% essential as one of your ECs, but many people still believe it is. Research really isn't going to distinguish you from any other applicant because so many people do it already and many do it based on the idea that if you don't do it, it takes you a notch down. This isn't true at all. Do things you are passionate about, so when you interview and you get the opportunity to talk about it, you will show that passion because you were doing something you sincerely enjoyed. You want to be able to talk about something you have a passion for. As long as your ECs speak to what is important to you and have contributed to making you a well rounded person, you should be fine.

 

[sarahg]

Hey guys,
I'm just wondering how much research matters on your med school app. I'm a non-traditional student applying (my degree is in English education for those of you who don't know already heh) and I feel as if getting a research opportunity would be very difficlut for me to obtain. Anyways, what's everyone's thoughts on this? By the way, I'm not intersted in MD/PhD.

I'm in the same situation -- I'm a psych major, and while there are psych research opportunities available, I haaaaate research and find it tedious and boring. I'd much rather be out in the world volunteering. I'd even rather work an office job than a research job. My strategy is to try to make up for my lack of research with a lot of unique volunteering and hope a school that's big on training clinicians and underserved populations will respond to that.

Thanks for the info Azadre. That confirms what I was hoping, that a school I'd be a good fit for won't hold a lack of research against me. I'm more interested in small medical schools and medical schools with a clinical rather than academic emphasis anyways.

 

[slick27]

I think being a non-trad does not affect your application. you will still have to have a competitive mcat and gpa along with all the ec's. If anything maybe more ec's since you've had more life experience. I took three years off before applying to medical school. This time did not help me out with the addmission process at all.

 

[Ann Chovie]

Can anyone share their opinion if research heavy schools would consider the following research sufficient?

1) Medical communications related (18 months)
2) Communicable disease epidemiology related (8 month independent study)
3) Developing a reliable, low-tech, potable water solution for underdeveloped countries (8 months)
4) Ochem cancer research (4 months).

My degree is in the social sciences with two science minors... Currently, I'm involved with a major EC (Non-research) that will be completed by June 2010, which will not permit me time to perform science based research before applying to Amcas...

 

[slick27]

It doesn't have to be bench research or even medical related.

 

[BlueElmo]

Can anyone share their opinion if research heavy schools would consider the following research sufficient?

1) Medical communications related (18 months)
2) Communicable disease epidemiology related (8 month independent study)
3) Developing a reliable, low-tech, potable water solution for underdeveloped countries (8 months)
4) Ochem cancer research (4 months).

My degree is in the social sciences with two science minors... Currently, I'm involved with a major EC (Non-research) that will be completed by June 2010, which will not permit me time to perform science based research before applying to Amcas...

I would say it's sufficient. I would all of them in AMCAS.